Sequel IV

The other guys were preparing to play poker that evening.
I wasn't keen on poker and curled up on the sofa at the fireplace, reading the newest release of Calvin and Hobbes. (You know, that little boy with his stuffed animal...that tiger.)
A cup of tea was put before me on the table and Allenby nestled beside me with his book and another cup of tea. "Do you mind?" he asked. I gritted my teeth. "No." He smiled contented and began to read. I found it quite uncomfortable at first to have him so close by my side but chose to forget about it. So I sipped my tea and just went on reading the comic. Caplan mused, it was unbelievable that someone else than Wilson dared to come so close to me and I absently flipped him the bird while Allenby just shrugged. I wondered what was on Jim's mind, 'cause he kept stealing sidelong glances. Everytime I raised my eyes he quickly looked away and pretended to concentrate on poker. I shook my head and kept on reading.
After a while my back began to hurt and I shifted again and again. Allenby looked up. "Is everything okay?" I nodded. "Just a little pain in the lower back. I could not lean on my cane all the day, that's all."
He looked at me tender-hearted and then proposed: "How about a massage?"
"No, thank you", I answered quickly.
"It would do you good", he insisted. "Just take your shirt off and stretch on your bed."
"Yeah", Caplan interfered. "Maybe it would really do you good. Maybe you're nicer when you're not that uptight anymore!"
"NO!", I said again with more emphasis than before and flipped him the bird once more.
"Don't be that stubborn", Louis said. He got up and offered me his hand to help me arise.
"Just go and let him help you", Smithers said.
I felt like a sullen kid and looked at James. But he just grinned and shrugged.
I sighed and took Allenby's hand. "Okay, so what. But just 5 minutes."
"10", he replied and lifted me from the sofa. Reluctantly I hobbled to my room.
I felt quite insecure as I stood at the bed and watched Louis close the door.
"Can't it stay open?" I asked.
He shrugged, but did not open it.
"Okay, so now take your shirt off."
"Is this necessary?"
He grinned. "You should know. You're a doctor."
Unwillingly I took off shirt and t-shirt, well aware of Louis' glances. I really disliked that, but then he could do me no harm, eh? So I laid down on my belly while Louis was sitting down on my legs. I winced. "Please, pay attention to my leg", I said.
"Of course", the answer came very softly and I closed my eyes in dismay. Then he began the massage which could have done good to me if I hadn't tensed myself so much. "Let go, relax", he said, but of course I wasn't able to obey though I tried.
I tried to ignore his suspiring as he touched me and desperately whished for James to come in and announce the 10 minutes were over.
I was foolish 'cause I had the impression he really just wanted to do me good but I couldn't brush away the fact how much joy it was to him to touch me. And I even had my shirt off!
"Next time I'd rather act like a sullen kid and refuse", I thought.
10 minutes can last forever, you know? And I'm sure he stretched them to 15 or 20 minutes. After all he suddenly announced "I think I'll better stop this now!" and I looked up puzzled. The longing expression of his face told me everything and I thought this was a really good idea to stop it now. I nodded, turned and sat up while Louis escaped from the room.

"What happened?", I heard Caplan ask. "Was he mean again?"
"Um...no...not at all...Why?", Louis answered.
"'cause you're in such a hurry to leave his room!"
"No...Everything's fine. I'm not in a hurry."
James glanced at me anxiously, when I limped back into the living-room. I just grinned at him to tell him everything was okay with me and he smiled back.
Again I curled up on the sofa and again Allenby brewed a tea for me and nestled beside me. I pretended to be absorbed in Calvin and Hobbes but still noticed his wistful glances and was well aware that he was about to confess his feelings this evening. At about 1 AM I finished reading and went to bed.

I washed, brushed my teeth and didn't bother about putting on my yammies and crept under the blanket in my boxers, rather relieved that Allenby had remained silent. Half an hour later James came in and went into the bathroom. When he returned he was wearing his Snoopy-pajama and I grinned. "Hah, there's Snoopy again!"
James turned to me and smiled. "So, did the massage do you any good?"
I grunted: "It totally failed. I was so tense, he could as well have given a massage to a rock."
"What a pity!", James grinned. "You're really in need of it."
I raised a brow. "So? This reminds me you still have to make up for my bruise..."
"Huh?", James asked.
"Yes, you have to recover losses, so how about a massage?", I smirked.
James hesitated. "Um...no...I don't want to..."
"Come on, puleeeeeze!" I let my lower lip stick out and quiver a bit.
James sighed and couldn't help smiling. "There's no sorrier sight than Greg House begging...Okay then..."
"Fine!" I said and once again stretched out on my belly. Jim put the blanket away and stopped moving for a moment. I turned my head to look at him. "Hm?"
"Geez, Greg! You're making fun of my pajama and wear Snoopy-Boxers???"
I shrugged. "So what? I still look good in them."
"But I am looking ridiculous in my pajama?!"
"No. You're not. It's nice and it's sweet and it's just a pajama, no tuxedo."
He chuckled and began.
This was something totally different. There was no need to be tense and it really did me good. I closed my eyes, just enjoyed it and couldn't help the content "Mmmmmmmm" escaping my mouth. James stopped for a second but then continued. There was this prickle again in my stomach and I wondered if I was coming down with a cold or something like that. I noticed Jim's breath deepened, too, and it got to my mind I might have wronged Louis and his suspiring was just a result of effort.
I was nearly dozing away when I suddenly thought of teasing Wilson.
"Jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaames", I moaned at the top of my voice. "This is sooooooo good!"
James paused, slapped the back of my head and hissed: "Are you mad??? I'm sure everyone in this house heard that!"
I chuckled into the cushion. "Maybe even our neighbors..."
He looked at me pissy pique. "This isn't funny in the least."
"Maybe not now, but just think of tomorrow morning."
"This is exactly about what I think!" he snapped.
I was still chuckling into my pillow but then turned to him and said "That's part of my charm, you should be used to it."
He briefly buried his face into his hands and shook his head. "You're impossible!"
I grinned. "What may Louis think now?"
James snorted. "I have not the slightest idea."
"Please, don't be cross with me, Jimmyyyyyy", I begged and tried that look again. Wilson slapped my head once more and then continued the massage.

Somewhere down the road I fell asleep and when I awoke at about 4 AM, Wilson was sound asleep, his arms around me and pinning me with his leg to the bed so that I was unable to move. His face was so close our foreheads almost touched and he breathed into my face. I grinned when I thought of tomorrow morning. He'd be sooo embarassed when he awoke like that. And provided one of his colleagues came to wake us for breakfast, this was bound to be fun. I closed my eyes again and soon fell asleep again.

But when I woke up again, James had just finished his shower and fetched his clothes. I sat up and stretched. "Mmmmmm...I don't know why, but I've never slept so well." James blushed and watched me stretching. "Must have been the massage", I smiled at him. "I should beg for this more often." "Well...must have been", he murmured and went back into the bathroom. It looks so silly when he has his towel around him. He closed the door and when he re-entered the room, he was properly dressed and looked at my bruised leg. "Don't look at it so pityful", I snapped and occupied the bathroom.

We entered the living-room together and there already was the smell of coffee, toast and scrambled eggs with bacon. Caplan, Smithers, Allenby and Morrison already were dressed for fishing. "If this is Spot the loony I am so going to win", I greeted them and sat down at the table.
"Just gotten up and already as sweet as a dewdrop", Caplan said dryly.
I smiled at him and fetched some eggs.
"You two had a pleasant evening, though, after going to bed?", Morrison asked kindly.
I chuckled and sipped on my coffee.
Wilson turned pink and stammered: "You heard him, right?"
"There was no way to ignore it", Smithers retorted.
I tit-tatted. "Honi soit qui mal y pense. I just got another massage. A really good one..."
Allenby's shoulders dropped down in relief.
"Nice way to thank one's best friend by embarassing him", Caplan said.
I smiled as sweet as honey. "I wasn't aware of doing so."
Then I turned to James. "I'm sorry."
"Never mind!", he waved aside.

While the others were fishing, James and I took some strolls at the beach which wasn't that easy with my limping and my cane. But the weather was fine and I enjoyed the fresh air and the smell of the sea. James somehow avoided coming too close to me and I frowned. He obviously was still pissed by last night.